Public Speaking Course:

Audience Gags

My public speaking course will teach you all about the
use of audience gags which are fun offbeat jokes that occur during your speaking engagement. Dr. Joel Goodman, from
the Humor Project, does an audience gag where a telephone rings during
his speech. When he answers the phone hidden behind the podium, he pretends to talk to his mother. The same joke would be called a running
gag if the phone rang at several other times during the program.

Here are some audience gags that I have used during
my presentations.

Stone the Speaker
When I really want to focus attention on an important point, i use this
gag. Either before the program or at a break, I recruit audience members
who are sitting near the front. I give each one a piece of crumpled
paper and instruct them to throw it at me when they hear a certain word.
Unique ways of getting and keeping the audiences attention is a vital
skill to learn from these public speaking articles.

Ten Wanted Men
I staged a gag at a seminar one time that was loads of fun and took
less than one minute to complete. Concentrating on having a good effect
and not on the amount of time spent creating is what you will learn in your
public
speaking course. Before the program, I picked out about 10 fun-loving
audience members to help me. I gave them secret instructions that were
to be carried out on a certain cue during the program. To start the
gag, I had my assistant interrupt the seminar to give me an important
note. The note read (I used a serious expression):
"It appears that someone is in attendance today with another man's wife.
There is a large and irate man on his way here right now. If you want
out, there is a backstage door you can use to escape quickly."
At this point, 10 men jumped up out of their seats and hauled themselves
out the door. Once they realized what was happening, several women jumped
up and ran out too. It was great fun and the gag sure woke up everyone
who had a heavy lunch.

Some professional speakers tell me that's the dumbest thing they ever heard and
they would never do it in their presentations. They say
that until they understand the purpose behind it. I use this gag when
I want to focus attention on an important point. All of the recruits
will be riveted
on what I say until they hear the key word. Then, after they throw the paper and I make
a big reaction, the rest of the crowd is totally focused in their effort
to see what is going on. That is when I make my key point. I have virtually
guaranteed the attention of each audience member. And keeping the attention
of the audience is extremely important when using the skills learned in your
public
speaking course.